Last updated on May 5th, 2024 at 02:12 pm
Like any kind of relationship in life, you have to put effort into friendships. I am a firm believer that each side of friendship should be 50/50. I like to think of myself as a good friend to have, doesn’t everyone? When I first started blogging, I was curious how it would be to meet up with my online friends and become offline friends outside of blogging. After all, my online friends know more about me than my own siblings because they are the ones reading, sharing, supporting me through sharing our entire life online.
It’s amazing when you meet someone in person that you have been online friends with for awhile and you just click. They are exactly what you imagine they would be like and how they portray themselves on their own blogs. It makes a friendship easy when you have a lot in common with your friends. They also understand your work life too which means you never are short of conversations from parenting to passions, to fashion to work’s ups and downs.
I met Emma from Life at the Little Wood blog shortly after we both started blogging at a conference in London. I had been reading her blog and we were chatting online before I had met her. We seem to have similar taste in interiors and fashion. Then when it came time to visit my family in Ireland, we went and stayed with Emma and her gorgeous crew. Just like Emma and I, our families just clicked. Even with the age difference from her eldest to my youngest and with the middle kids at similar ages, they played amazing together. The husbands weren’t short of conversation either. It makes family adventures that much more fun when you have a whole other family along for the experience and everyone gets along so well. Our first visit was amazing with our two families touring around Belfast together.
The year after that we met up at Malahide Castle near Dublin for a day of exploring. You can see our adventures here. Looking back, our kiddos were so much smaller and my how they have grown just in a year. It’s unbelievable, especially my tiny little duo this year. The age gap is closing in between our kids and we can exploring further and farther together each time we get together.
It’s become some what of a tradition to meet up and grab our double family portrait together and explore wherever our adventures have taken us. The older kids influence the younger ones to keep going and seek more adventures out together.
This year, we decided to meet back up at Malahide Castle again. We loved it so much the year before and the kids were older to explore the grounds more than the previous year. Emma’s tree climbers quickly showed B and MM the art of climbing trees and and it wasn’t long before both of them were up in the trees with them. I love seeing my kids enjoying mother nature and far away from the ipads as possible. Even little MM kept up with everyone. I was so impressed. Nothing stops that one if heights are involved. 
We had a fab day walking the beautiful grounds of Malahide Castle. A tasty coffee and cake in Avoca cafe which is also my favorite store ever! Please, Avoca, get online international shipping pronto! If only I could drive over to fill my car with home accessories and drive back with all it’s beautiful offerings. I am in love with everything they sell every time. Soon the kids were hungry from all that walking and climbing and we lucked out with the rain when we got there but our plans for a beautiful blanket picnic soon dissolved into a picnic in the trunk of a car.
It is far more fun than it looks. My kids were over the moon with their picnic in the trunk with our friends. While Ernie their dog, probably wasn’t as pleased to lose his space in the car, he was patient with us while we scoffed our sandwiches down. It’s amazing how many children you can fit in the back of a car. It just made for better memories for our visit to Malahide Castle too. I doubt my kids will forget the time we told them to sit in the trunk and eat their lunch in a car park.
I am so grateful for our friendship and I will always put the effort in to see Emma when we can. We have managed it the last few years and I hope it’s a tradition we long continue. She is genuinely one of the nicest people I have ever met and her family is just the same. They drove so far to meet up with us and that means so much to us.
But you don’t need me to tell you in words just how much fun our two families had together just look at these superheroes below. Their faces and celebrations tell you the whole story. Friendships are precious, something we should all cherish and put the effort in as best we can. So text, hug, reach out to your friends online and offline and hold dear the happiest and memories they bring in your life. 
Friendship make life fuller, happier, and bring on the best laughter
you will ever hear in children and adults alike.
Oh Jenny, these pictures are the cutest!! It was so lovely to see you all and never a chore to come visit. I always just wish it could be for longer! I really giggled at the car picnic picture. You couldn’t half tell that we’re used to the rainy Irish weather! 😉
Lots of love my friend. Very glad to have met you! Xx
I know what you mean it was far too short and yet you always motivate me and lift me up babes every time. Love your adorable family. Your kids are amazing, my two have a blast with them and now know how to climb trees. Look out forest at my moms. Although we have bears in them eeek. Big hugs to you babes thanks for everything. Hopefully we can come stay again next Easter! Go on more grand adventures.
What sweet photos! It’s so lovely that meeting up has being an annual thing for your two families. It looks like you all had so much fun together. xx
These are such gorgeous photos! I love following Emma at Life At The Little Wood online on her blog and on IG – I’d love to meet her in person one day. How wonderful that your kiddos get along so well together too – many happy memories will be made together I’m sure 🙂
Such a sweet post, I love the photo of them against the archway. Such beautiful captures and I completely agree with your words about meeting online friends. I think there is a special bond x
The photos of all the kids togehter are adorable Jenny, what a lovely post and it’s so nice to read about blogging friends who have made friends in real life. What a lovely tradition to have and I hope we get to see photos of your kiddos there year after year xx
Oh it’s so lovely that you have made such a good friend through blogging. I love Emma’s Instagram and blog, her home looks amazing! I’m impressed that you manage to catch up each year too. I always find I leave far too long between meet ups with my long distance friends xx
Aw you guys are 2 of my most favourite online people and I think fondly of you both. Having chatted to you both at Britmums and you Jenny on a few occasions…i can honestly say you are both the most sweetest and sincere people I’ve ever met xx